Get ready for a wild ride, because 1996 is the official year of the roller coaster! Across the U.S., amusement parks are building the highest, fastest, scariest rides ever.
Leading the roller-coaster pack is the High Roller in Las Vegas, Nevada. The ride is on top of the brand-new Stratosphere Hotel, the fifth largest building in the U.S. Although the coaster reaches a top speed of only 35 miles an hour, its dizzying route is 909 feet above the ground!
The thrills go on. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, will unveil Superman: The Escape, a roller coaster and free-fall ride. Traveling at 100 miles an hour, passengers will experience 6.5 seconds of weightlessness. Wow!